Pros: NFL feel with No experience required!
Cons: Tough Running attack!

On September 9,1999 I skipped work to go and pick-up my Dreamcast and added some memory cards and another controller to the mix. I then raced home with the packages in hand to try this “revolutionary” new product that I had heard about for months. I Preordered the Dreamcast with NFL2K before I'd ever seen the game or read anything about the system. I was however, a fan of the layout Sega used in their NFL CD for the genesis and expected NFL2K to be ten fold better. All I can say is Sega did not disappoint with this marquee title that no doubt had a hand in the Dreamcast’s early success.

After firing the game up I noticed an EA Sports inspired video clip showing great clips from past NFL seasons (my first response was old hat). I finished letting the game load and watched a demo of the Falcons vs. Broncos superbowl in utter jaw dropping amazement. This demo I had been watching wasn’t video these were computer generated and fully rendered players that were accurately portrayed. I found the game to be sheer eye-candy with something for every NFL fan out there.

The graphical portion of this game left very little to be desired and is arguably this games biggest strength. In watching this game I noticed the players twitching at the line and faking blitzes as though I were watching Sunday football. The players were proportionally accurate in their design (the players that are supposed to be big are and the shorter thinner players are just that). I continued to watch the game even further noticing the tackles and sacks as full wrap takedowns or blind side hits, these would make Lawrence Taylor proud, that looked so real. The only flaw that I found in this portion of the game is after the ball is punted it looks like a perfect spiral not an end over end kick (like it should).

When it comes to artificial intelligence in sports video-games so many of us are used to the computer running scripted plays until crunch time when the games computer controlled team becomes a pack of blithering idiots. This games AI is much improved over those past offerings! On fourth and 10 down by 2 touchdowns in the fourth quarter the teams actually choose intelligent plays (depending on the teams talent of course) that make you think on defense. The running backs will seldom run in to a lineman unless there is no hole in the line. Receivers depending on their intelligence level will read blitzes and cut to the slot providing a nice little safety net against the sack. The offenses and defenses that are run in the first half of the games are altered depending on their success, which means you’d better adjust also if you want to win.

The passing game is truly inspiring to watch. By putting a man in motion it reveals whether the D is playing zone or man and can seriously affect your decision on where to throw the ball (in man throw to your best receivers, in zone look for an open man). It’s not the easiest thing to get on your first shot but after playing and getting used to the defense passing becomes an artful adrenaline rush. I can’t say anything more about this games passing engine it simply works well when you learn how to use it (although the rookie level is very easy to pass against the pro requires learning).

The running game has flashes of brilliance but they are few and far between. This part of the game leads me to believe they wanted a high scoring addictive air attack to be the main focus. While it is possible to rush for more then 100 yards with a decent running back but it requires using every trick that the running back has in his arsenal. This portion is I believe the biggest weakness of NFL2K. You should not have to jump linemen every time you run the ball inside to get more then 2 yards. It is also impossible to run certain directions against certain teams, running left versus the bills ends with Bruce Smith stuffing you every time. This is the one area that I expect Sega to tweak when it releases the sequel; this would effectively eliminate Madden as a threat to the title king of NFL sports games.

I remember playing football on the NES and trying to do a lot of things with just 2 buttons (was very limited). Since the resurgence began with the old NES, controllers have come along way and provided the game consoles with a great amount of flexibility that NFL 2K uses very nicely. The running backs have every trick known to man (like in other games) with everything from spin moves and stiff arms to jukes and jumps. The quarterback has every tool required in a game (pump fakes, options, bullets and lobs). The defensive line is no longer a stiff battering ram style of play and has added a lot of depth to the defense as a result this is the point of control that I was most impressed with. The linebackers and down lineman have the ability to swing their arms around (used for shoving offensive linemen aside) they can also lay a spin move or fake to assist in their sacking of the quarterback. If you played Madden anything like I did you were either a linebacker or a lineman on D (so you would not hurt your teams chances of winning) now you can still be those players but actually feel like you’re a big part of the defense. This is in my opinion the best feature of the game.

The sound of the game is crisp with good sound bytes making the action more real. However, like many of Sega’s other titles the announcers can be annoying at times and often calling the wrong play (on the kick-off one guy yells what a terrific pass!). The announcers aside the game sound is better then anything previously done in videogame football.

In conclusion if you want a great football simulation with only minor flaws and the best graphics on the market this game is for you. If you’re an NFL Blitz pass addict then set the game to rookie and enjoy. If you’re a smash mouth kind of guy buy Madden and run for a 175 yards while completing 15 of 50 passes. This game is simply the best football simulation that I’ve ever played even though it is at times a little off balance in its offensive attacks. I feel the game is the most well rounded of all the football offerings in the market and is the title by which next years games will be judged.